South Carolina's NCAA women's basketball champs to play at Germain Arena this weekend

A'ja Wilson scored 23 points to help coach Dawn Staley and the University of South Carolina women's basketball team win their first national championship with a 67-55 victory over Mississippi State on Sunday night. (April 3)
AP

Dawn Staley celebrates as she cuts down the net after South Carolina defeated Mississippi State in the 2017 NCAA women's national title game.(Photo: Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)

In defense of its championship, No. 2 South Carolina will have an early-season test in the Gulf Coast Showcase. The eight-team tournament at Germain Arena also will feature No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 16 South Florida and Rutgers with Hall-of-Fame coach Vivian Stringer.

“It’s a great tournament, very competitive,” Staley said. “We knew who was going to be in it. Because of that, we jumped at the opportunity. It’s a barometer to see where we are.”

South Carolina beat Mississippi State 67-55 for the national title after Mississippi State stunned Connecticut 66-64 in overtime in the Final Four.

“We put our ourselves in position to win the ultimate prize,” Staley said. “The basketball gods were in our favor. It means the world to me. It’s the one thing I wasn’t able to achieve as a player.”

In her career, Staley played in three Olympics and was elected to carry the American flag in 2004. While her team made its title run, she was named coach of the USA national team.

“It’s so meaningful,” Staley said. “I’m in my 18th year of coaching. I had some great players make a commitment to me as a coach. I don’t take that lightly. I think about them through the years. I’m very indebted.”

Notable: ETSU used to be a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. Tianna Tarter earned Southern Conference Player of the Week honors after she averaged 22.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.0 steals per game in wins over Appalachian State, Tennessee Tech and Duquesne.

Team: Notre Dame

Coach: Muffett McGraw

2016-17 record: 33-4

Notable: In 30 years at Notre Dame, McGraw has led the Irish to seven Final Fours, five national championship games and a title in 2001. She ranks 10th among women’s coaches with 853 victories. Two months ago, she was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Team: Rutgers

Coach: Vivian Stringer

2016-17 record: 6-24

Notable: The Hall of Famer Stringer is the first coach in NCAA history to lead three different women's programs to the NCAA Final Four: Rutgers in 2000 and 2007, the University of Iowa in 1993, and Cheyney State College (now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania) in 1982. She is the sixth winningest coach in women's basketball history.

Team: South Carolina

Coach: Dawn Staley

2016-17 record: 33-4

Notable: Staley, who was elected to carry the United States flag at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics, will be the USA national team coach. She is a hall-of-fame player and coach who guided South Carolina to the 2017 national championship.

Team: South Florida

Coach: Jose Fernandez

2016-17 record: 24-9

Notable: The Bulls have made the NCAA Tournament four times in the last five seasons. Fernandez has led USF to eight seasons of 20 wins or more.

Team: St. John’s

Coach: Joe Tartamella

2016-17 record: 22-12

Notable: The Red Storm have made 10 straight postseason appearances, punctuated by a 2012 appearance in the Sweet 16.

Team: Washington State

Coach: June Daugherty

2016-17 record: 16-20

Notable: The Cougars won four games to reach the WNIT semifinals last season.